Sunday, October 28, 2007

Gifts and Fruit

Sometimes you say things and when you say them, you wish you were in front of your computer to blog about it. Karen and I were just sitting with some good friends of ours, Debbie and Mark, at a local coffee shop. We were discussing about people who have the gifts of the Spirit but lack the fruit of the Spirit.

In our church culture, those who operate in the gifts of the Spirit seem to lack the fruit which we must possess.

The gifts of the Spirit are:
  • words of wisdom;
  • words of knowledge
  • faith
  • healing
  • miracle-working
  • prophesy
  • distinguishing of spirits
  • speaking in tongues
  • interpretation of tongues

The fruit of the Spirit are
  • love
  • joy
  • peace
  • longsuffering
  • gentleness
  • goodness
  • faith
  • meekness
  • temperance
In our church culture, some think possessing the gifts equals maturity. This is far from the truth. It is our fruit which are seen by the world. It is what brings light to situations and not the gifts. Many believe the having the gifts of the Spirit in their lives give them some kind of authority to act like the devil. It is by the fruit which we must operate on a daily basis.

People as well as God are judging us by our fruit. They are inspecting it with superior insight - insight much better than we do ourselves. We must learn to operate in love, hope, faith, humility, controlled attitudes and being patient with gentleness and good outlook on life.

The gifts are given to us to operate spiritually. The fruit are given to us to operate naturally, relationally, and socially. Operate in the fruit of the spirit. It is by your fruit people see and remember.